
There is an art to taking care of high quality clothes which unfortunatelly has been somewhat lost over the years. Given the time and expense of having a high quality bespoke suit made it is worth following some basic rules which will ensure the long life of your cherished garments.
There are two distinct area in suit-care, storage and cleaning. Cleaning can also be divided into different parts: after each wear, occasional pressing and full cleaning.
Cleaning
Daily/Full Cleaning
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Resting: After each use your suit should be hung up, the trousers full length and the jacket on a good wide hanger to support the shoulders while cooling and drying. Wearing the same suit for than a day can cause damage to the fibres. The daily dirt can be removed from the fabric with a brush, but given the moisture that the suit absorbs during a days wear it needs some time to dry. One day should be enough, however, for a heavier fabric it is even better to give two days to rest.
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Brushing: Pockets, lapels and seams should be brushed frequently to remove dust and dirt. Using soft-bristled brush, a quick once over of your suit after each use will keep it looking new a lot longer. Not to mention the fact that brushing your suits frequently also makes them less attractive to moths.
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Stain removing: Stains should be blotted immediately not rubbed. If they do not come out with a little water get them to the cleaners as soon as possible.
Occasionally
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Pressing: We all know that before a big event our suits sometimes need a little refreshing to remove even the slightest wrinkles, however, pressing your suit can be tricky, especially at home. Creased garments recover well in a humid environment. Hang them in a steamy bathroom or spray them lightly with water; this work very well with linens. Leave them to dry but not in direct sunlight as this can effect the colour. Heated trousers presses are a good option if available and if you need to smooth a jacket do it carefully with a press cloth to avoid shine. Once upon a time, in most hotels, you could ask for a sponge and press, refreshing and smoothing your suit without harsh chemicals; unfortunately this is no longer the norm. If you do decide to take your suit to a cleaner make sure that it is a recommended place, bad pressing can cause real damage to your suit. If your suit is just a little creased, but not dirty tell them you only want it pressed, not cleaned. If you are able, get your tailor to repress and block your suits once in a while.
Full Cleaning
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Cleaning: How often you should get a suit completely cleaned depends on who you ask and how much you wear them. In my opinion airing out your suits and keeping your wardrobe clean and fresh is far better than over cleaning. Due to environmental concerns the chemicals used for cleaning today are very harsh and rip out the natural oils from the wool and canvases, shortening the life of garments. While it is a personal choice my tip is keep cleaning to a minimum.